Do I dare try to review the DVD of “The Ten Commandments.” I mean, that must take some kind of nerve, after all it has been for years hailed as a classic, and considering the subject matter, will I be hit by a bolt of lightning if I give it any criticism? I guess I can take the risk, after all it is ONLY a movie *CRACK BOOM* *Sizzle* Whew... that was close!! Thankfully there is little in the way of nitpicks I can make about “The Ten Commandments.” Most of them can be attributed to the time in which the film was made. It is an epic film to be sure, and Cecil B. DeMille is to be commended for delivering such a cinematic masterpiece in 1956. I grew up watching the film and have seen it more times than I can count, but those new to it watching today might be put off a little by some of the garish colors and costumes, as well as the somewhat stuffy acting. Looking beyond those somewhat dated aspects of “The Ten Commandments”, it is a solid film and perfectly suited for the whole family.

What still surprises me the most about the “The Ten Commandments” however, are the parts that are still impressive even by today’s standards. Just the sheer size of the production staggers the mind, from the amazing location shots to the enormous sets. And even after all this time, the special effects still blow me away. Whether they are small, as in the changing of Moses’ staff to a snake, or the immense parting of the Red Sea, I still sit in awe of how great they look.

“The Ten Commandments” utilized a huge “A” list of actors from back in the day, and though a couple of them seem a little out of place due to the types of roles they were usually known for, it was a solid cast. I mentioned some of the stuffy acting, but again it’s forgivable as it reflects the acting style of the time, plus it seems appropriate to a story of this magnitude. Leading the pack was Charlton Heston in the role of Moses. Strike that. After all these years, I know that Heston wasn’t acting. He IS Moses. Heston has always been an actor of great presence. When he steps on screen he completely takes it over and becomes the center of attention. He has played a great number of epic figures over the years, but Moses was the role he was born for. (Of course he was, I just said he WAS Moses. Hmmm… Moses….Moooosssses…Mossssssesssss?)

Honestly there’s not much more I can say about the film itself that hasn’t already been said over the years, I’m sure most of you have even seen it by now. And if you haven’t, just know that you should. I’ll move on to the new DVD release from Paramount. It’s a 2-disc set, as is generally necessary for a movie that runs three hours and forty minutes (take that LOTR!!), but this is also to accommodate the extra features. First up is a 6-part documentary that focuses on the making of the movie, which is really good, if not a little too short. It only runs a little over thirty minutes, and though the information is fairly substantial, I feel that a movie as massive as “The Ten Commandments” deserves a much longer and in-depth look. There is also a short piece on the original New York premiere, as well as three trailers for the film. Of these, the first one from 1956 is the best as it runs nearly ten minutes and served as a kind of ‘event’ trailer with some behind the scenes footage.

The most surprisingly interesting feature though, has to be the running commentary by author Katherine Orrison. Normally I wouldn’t expect a commentary of this length to be able to hold my interest, but it did. Having ‘written the book’ literally on the making of the film, Orrison is amazingly knowledgeable on the subject and offers up a lot of fascinating background information on the film. Added to this is her delivery, which is quite lively.

The one unusual thing I found about this particular DVD release of “The Ten Commandments” is in the packaging. Before I opened the case, I noticed it seemed to be fairly wide, as you would expect when there are 2 discs. However, when I looked inside there was no divider between the discs. The first disc overlaps the other, sitting on a spindle that raises it just a little above the second. I’ve seen this packaging recently on the Artisan release of the “Dinotopia” series. I can see where it might be a bit of a money saver as you completely get rid of a center disc holder, but it is a little inconvenient as you have to take out the first disc in order to take out the second. I will say this design would have looked kind of cool if Paramount had printed a stone tablet on each disc, however they didn’t.

If you already own a copy of “The Ten Commandments” on DVD, you might not necessarily need to grab this edition, unless you’re so much into it that having the extra features appeals to you. However, if you don’t own it on DVD, or have any friends that don’t, this is a great opportunity to get a copy of it for yourself or to give as a gift.

Directed by: Cecil B. Demille
Starring: Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter, Edward G. Robinson, Yvonne DeCarlo, Debra Paget, John Derek, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Nina Foch, Martha Scott, Judith Anderson, Vincent Price, John Carradine
Extras: Commentary by Katheine Orrison, Author of “Written in Stone – Making Cecil B. Demille’s Epic, The Ten Commandments,” Newsreel – The Ten Commandments Premiere in New York, 6-Part Documentary, Trailers – 1956, 1966, 1989
Specifications: Widescreen Enhanced for 16X9 Televisions, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, English Dolby Surround
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: 3/9/2004
Region 1
MPAA Rating: G
Website

We'll give The Ten Commandments: Special Edition an A.